Magazine India Archives

The Social Media Fiasco – View, like or dislike, they benefit

Hey, social media fanatics, welcome to our channel. Let’s discuss the Social Media Fiasco. What’s happening to the most consumed form of media across the globe? It’s 2023, and social media is more ingrained in our daily lives than ever! Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp, etc., if you are familiar with any of these social media platforms, you are at the right place. As it’s popularly known – The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance. Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. It has changed how we communicate, shares information, and consume news. The role of social media in society is both positive and negative.

On the positive side, social media has allowed individuals to connect with people worldwide. It has also made it easier for people to stay in touch with friends and family living far away. Social media has also played a crucial role in the spread of information, particularly during times of crisis. For example, social media has been used during natural disasters to disseminate important information to affected communities.

However, there are also negative aspects of social media. The constant use of social media has been linked to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Additionally, the spread of misinformation on social media can have serious consequences. For example, false information about COVID-19 has led to confusion and mistrust among government officials and health experts. Another concern is the impact of social media on privacy. Many social media platforms collect user data, which could be sold to third parties for advertising or other purposes. This has raised concerns about protecting personal information and the potential for data misuse.

The impact of social media on society is complex and multifaceted. While it has brought many benefits, it has also created new challenges. It is essential for individuals to be aware of the potential risks and to use social media responsibly. Society must be critical of social media’s role in their lives and ensure they know the potential negative impacts. It’s also important to use the platform responsibly and to be mindful of the potential risks, such as spreading misinformation and protecting personal information. But as we scroll through our feeds, we’re increasingly confronted with a dark side to these social media platforms. From the misuse of user data to the proliferation of misinformation, nudity and inappropriate social influence, a series of scandals question the role of social media in our society.

Let’s start with Instagram, the once-photo-sharing platform owned by Facebook, which has been at the centre of several controversies. Humans are getting better at tricking AI. There’s borderline nudity when you scroll and wide-spread video categories for people of different interests to flood something that matches their psychological and emotional consciousness. Researchers have found that this is, in fact, the most commonly used drug-like service which gives you short doses of dopamine. Mind you, we do not have an unlimited source of dopamine in our brains. Think of it like your energy. Every on your screen that makes you smile or feel something good or disastrously wrong consumes your daily power. Result – The more you scroll, the more you crave. The more you scroll, the more you are depleted from your brain’s happy hormones. This is a significant concern in viewers of all age categories resulting in widespread anxiety, depression and loneliness. AI algorithms are well-defined to be user-specific while also being addictive. Instagram has also been criticised for its role in promoting unrealistic and harmful beauty standards. The platform has been accused of promoting a culture of perfectionism, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and negative body image.

The most common form of addiction is repetition. Did you find yourself getting bored, instantly reaching out to your phone for some information, and then noticing minutes passed as you scrolled your favourite channels or random videos? In recent years, the platform has been criticised for not doing enough to combat nudity, hate speech and online harassment. Many users have reported feeling unsafe and unwelcome on the platform, and there have been calls for Instagram to do more to combat this addiction. Additionally, Instagram has been scrutinised for not doing enough to protect the well-being of its younger users, who risk developing mental health issues due to the pressure of maintaining a perfect online persona. Twitter, another popular social media platform, has faced its fair share of controversies. The platform has been criticised for not doing enough to combat misinformation. The CEO has a funny bone and particularly in the USA’s Presidential elections blunder. False and misleading information was spread through Twitter, which led to confusion and mistrust among the electorate.

YouTube is one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, with over 2 billion monthly active users. However, the platform has been plagued by several controversies in recent years, leading many to question whether it is a viable and safe place for users. One of the most significant issues with YouTube is the proliferation of fake news and conspiracy theories on the platform. A report from the New York Times found that YouTube’s algorithm tends to promote sensational or controversial videos, regardless of their accuracy. This has led to spreading misinformation on the platform, particularly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Limiting 4K content and thousands of ads, sometimes larger than the actual video, do Youtube a fantastic free service with its idiosyncratic elements. The platform has been criticised for not doing enough to remove hate speech and harmful content. YouTube’s advertising problem is also worth mentioning. The platform has been criticised for allowing ads to run on videos that contain hate speech or other offensive content. This has led to several major brands pulling their advertising from the platform, causing a significant loss of revenue for YouTube. In addition to these issues, YouTube has also been criticised for handling children’s content on the forum. The company has faced several legal challenges over collecting data on children and the inappropriate content found on the platform.

In conclusion, YouTube is a social media platform plagued by many controversies in recent years. From spreading fake news and conspiracy theories to hosting hate speech and harassment, the platform has faced several challenges that have led many to question its viability and safety for users. While YouTube and others have made some efforts to address these issues, it remains to be seen whether these changes will be enough to regain the trust of its users. Other social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and LinkedIn have also faced similar controversies. Misusing user data, spreading misinformation, artificial idols, nudity and the proliferation of hate speech in many forms, like personal attacks, are issues that affect all social media platforms.

Hope is a waking dream

The good news is that many social media companies are starting to take these issues more seriously. Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms have begun to invest in new technologies and tools to combat misinformation, and many have pledged to improve transparency and user privacy. However, more needs to be done. Social media has the power to connect us, inform us, and bring us together. But it can also be used to divide us, deceive us, and harm us. It’s time for social media companies to take responsibility for their impact on our society, for people to be more aware and for governments to step in with more robust regulations.

In conclusion, social media has become an integral part of society, but it is essential to be aware of the potential negative impacts and use it responsibly. It has the power to connect people and share information, but it’s important to be mindful of the potential risks and use it to benefit society as a whole. Ultimately, it’s up to us, the users, to be more critical and selective about the information we consume and share on social media and to push for more accountability from the companies that control these powerful platforms. We must use these platforms with caution and consciousness and demand that these companies take more responsibility for their platforms’ impact on our society. Use social media responsibly. Conscious choices will safeguard many unconscious life decisions.

Tech this week

What time is it? It’s time for some tech news. Did you know that Google, the name is actually a product of a hasty spelling mistake? Larry and Sean aimed to register Googol, a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by a hundred zeros. Sean accidentally registers the word Google, and it is what it is. Let’s get to the news.

Elon finally bought Twitter

On Thursday night, Elon Musk finally bought Twitter, and reports say many top management authorities at Twitter are now searching for new jobs. These include the CEO, CFO, people who mislead the number of bots on the platform and the one authorizing Donal Trump’s account ban. The hip entrepreneur entered the Twitter office with a bathroom sink, symbolizing the term “let that sink in” and also twitted “ the bird is freed”.

Global price increase

Apple is silently increasing its hardware and software solution prices. Subscription services have seen an inflation in their charges across Apple services, including Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple One. Some countries have also witnessed price increases on iPads and Macs. Nothing ear (1), the first product from Nothing, has also seen as much as a 50% price increase in some markets right before the launch of their Nothing ear stick, a relatively new and affordable variant with a different form factor. I hope they stick to the pricing in the future. Steam, a popular gaming service, has also increased its regional pricing in some parts of the world to almost 450% hike in game prices. As if PC gaming was not an expensive hobby with insane GPU prices! Global price increase needs to be combated with a global pay increase. Share this with your company heads. After blocking 4K content on Youtube to Premium users, Youtube has increased the prices of Youtube Premium subscriptions in some countries. What is happening to the world?

WTF? There’s a new Nvidia 3060

After the backlash on RTX 4080 and Nvidia pulling out in time, RTX 4090 has witnessed some insane claims. One of the only cards to enable high fidelity 4K and 8K gaming, the power connector cannot handle the amount of power required to juice tasty frame rates from the 4090, burning some connectors across the globe. Nvidia has addressed a couple of buyers who posted this on social media, but a 1.55 lakh rupee card with burnt connectors is not cool. In another news from Nvidia, some countries witnessed a soft launch of Nvidia’s popular 3060 variants with an 8GB VRAM 128-bit bus rate instead of the usual 12GB 192-bit bus rate. This move comes as competition to Intel’s newest ARC GPU releases earlier this month or maybe an offering to gamers on a budget. Whatever it is, thank you, Intel!

Shutterstock partners with OpenAI DallE 2

Did you know that Gettyimages recently banned the use of AI-generated images? Contrary to their move, Shutterstock has partnered with OpenAI DallE 2, and soon users will be able to generate images based on text commands. Shutterstock has also agreed to pay creators a certain sum of money for training the AI when creating newer images. Not too long ago, a similar AI won an award for the best image creation on a platform, and now it is time for Shutterstock to come up with crazy DallE2-created images. What is your take on AI-generated art? Is it still art if thousands of algorithms created it?

Gaming improves cognitive performance in kids

A recent study on the JAMA network performed by ABCD Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development on 2217 children has shown that kids who regularly play video games are better at problem-solving, memory management, impulse reactions and many other tasks, including academic achievements, as compared to kids who do not play video games. Allowing kids to play video games and other games profoundly impacts their brain development. Only if this study were done during childhood would we not be scolded as much over gaming. Kids watching this video, share this news with your parents.

Xbox Series S – Limiting frame rates for everyone

Some game developers are not happy developing games for the Xbox Series S. According to them; the limited capabilities are hindering them from providing more performance in games being developed for the Xbox Series S. Microsoft has made it mandatory for developers to make games compatible with both the Series X and S. Gotham Knights is a prime example of this shortcoming, as the developers clearly stated in a tweet that the game runs on 30FPS even on the more powerful Series X only to ensure compatibility with the Series S. What’s the point of upgrading to a having a massive 4K high refresh rate display when the games are being limited by one puny console?

Photonic chip – the fastest internet chip as of now

A single photonic chip has made a world record by transferring 1.84 petabytes of data per second over a 7.9Km fibre optic cable. That’s like moving all the files across the globe in less than 10 mins! I am still stuck with a few hundred megabytes per second here in India. Researchers from Japan, Denmark and Sweden, managed to split infrared signals into multiple light sources and then combine them together as one on the receiving end.

Amazon data centres in the UK and Ireland get new diesel generators.

Following an energy crisis in UK and Ireland, Amazon data centres in Dublin are installing 105 high-power diesel generators as backups. It is estimated that this data centre is responsible for over 14% power consumption of the entire Dublin.

Intel’s 13th generation i9 breaks an 8-year-old frequency world record

AMD FX 8370 set a world record back in 2014 by overclocking to an insane 8722.78Mhz. Intel’s latest i9-13900K managed to set a new world record by overclocking to a mind-bending 8812.85Mhz, nearly double the core clock speed offered in the retail packaging. Finally, after taking a beating from similar retail-priced AMD competition, Intel has managed to garner a win in some departments. Good job, Intel, on making something such powerful and power-hungry.

Samsung has started development on a smart ring.

Smart wearables come in all shapes and sizes. Samsung is currently developing a smart ring with all the necessary features of a fitness tracker snuggly packaged in a neat ring. Be careful to accept a proposal as a smart ring, as it could spike your heart rates and trigger an emergency service SOS. Would you wear a ring when the occasion calls for dressing neat, well time shall reveal.

Stadia’s service ended, but the gaming did not.

After Google announced that they were pulling the plug on Stadia streaming services, people playing games on the platform are backed by game developers. As a piece of good news, game developers are offering free copies with free save backups for everyone playing their games on Stadia as a platform. These free copies are provided to all the Stadia gamers based on their choice of gaming platform, and also cloud saves are offered as transferable entities to continue gaming on the platform of your choice. Do we even trust Google with anything with the rate at which they keep shutting down services?

These were all the happenings of the week. Let us know what you think about the tech happenings across the globe. Stay tuned as we bring more tech news next week.

Minimalist home audio nirvana |Your ears deserve quality music|

Audio is an essential part of our experience, apologies to those unable to listen to the beauties of art by humans and nature. Our home entertainment setup is complete with a set of good-quality audio solutions. As much as most of us desire the best of the best, with amplifiers, mixers, and optical audio cable mess to enjoy the creator’s audio source to the best of our human ability, most of us love the cleaner, simpler solutions. Would that be a compromise?

Thanks to development in technology over the years, the compromises are definitely reduced with better-quality audio solutions. Audio quality becomes a subject of desire the moment you listen to audio solutions like speakers, headphones or earphones better than anything you have ever experienced. Simple audio solutions keep the cable mess at bay and are great additions to many homes, available in multiple shades, shapes and sizes.

Desire a minimalist home theatre solution?

The craze for 5.1 and 7.1 audio speaker solutions seems immortal. Thanks to most of our OTT services and amazing television technology supporting the best of Dolby Atmos, DTS-X and more audio solutions, it makes sense to invest in a full-blown theatrics audio experience when consuming media on your comfortable sofa. Something like a sound bar with three audio channels, two wireless surround sound satellites and wireless sub-thumping lows add to the overall experience; audio solutions can be minimalistic. Add to the fact that most of these are nowadays available in white, and a soundbar and sub-based solutions amplify the audio experience a home needs.

What’s the best minimalistic audio solution?

Sometimes, you listen to and enjoy music, don’t you? We all do. While many speakers around the room offer a great movie and series-watching experience, music is best enjoyed on quality bookshelf speakers. It may sound weird that how can a pair of speakers be better than multiple speakers spread across the room? Powered bookshelf speakers have had a technological leap by the time you read this line. Not only are they relatively minor in size, defying their size versus audio quality and volume, but they also are great minimalistic audio solutions for every room in your house. They are not limited to the main entertainment area around your largest television. Stereo speakers with good audio quality are sometimes the most optimal, minimalistic audio nirvana required to uplift your home entertainment.

Invest in quality audio solutions. And remember, there is always the best in your budget, but sometimes, just like your television, audio solutions are once in many years investment. An investment in quality home audio entertainment with multiple audio source connectivity, wireless connectivity and, most importantly, excellent audio quality is a must-experience.

Pixel-perfect Android flagships?Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

Google has finally launched the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro in India. When was the last time we saw the flagship Pixel devices in India? We tested both these phones, and here are our impressions on the 60K Pixel 7 and the 89K Pixel 7 Pro.

Finessed design

As Indians, we did not get a chance to experience the immediate predecessor to these newer Pixel devices apart from the Pixel 6a, which is a brilliant smartphone for the price. The Pixel 7 is a more mature design than the 6a, with a brush metal finish on the uniform camera housing, albeit with a noticeable depth. Put these phones anyhow, and they will never wobble, infact they rest at a very comfortable glance for anyone who uses the Pixels. The Pixel 7 Pro takes a modern approach and brings curved edges on the relatively larger display with improved hardware.

The interesting parts include the symmetrical band design on the metal edges of the camera bands and a contrasting finish on the buttons. The glossy metal band of the Pixel 7 Pro has matte-finished buttons, and the matte-finished camera band on the Pixel 7 has shiny metal buttons. We still miss the accented buttons, but this is a nice touch nonetheless. Overall the design is very well thought out and brings a level of sophistication expected from a tech giant. We still are unaware of the abrupt cutout on the Pixel 7 Pro. Let us know if you know anything about it, as we cannot access the same.

Gorilla glass Victus and IP68 ratings protect both these phones, allowing flagship-grade protection. The OLED display differs on both these phones as the Pixel 7 has an FHD+ 90Hz panel, whereas the Pixel 7 Pro gets a QHD (1440P) LTPO display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Both these displays can get sufficiently bright with 1000+ nits brightness and, even more, viewing HDR content. Both felt super smooth in their leagues with the beauties of Android 13 optimisations and added features on the Pixel devices. For flat-screen lovers, the Pixel 7 makes a compelling choice. Still, a slightly curved larger display with additional camera hardware and software turns the Pixel 7 Pro into a flagship competitor from the house of Google. Surprisingly, the Pixel 7 packs a smaller battery than the Pixel 6a at 4355mAh, while the Pixel 7 Pro packs a 5000mAh battery. Both these phones support 20-23W charge speeds with wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities. Battery life is decent and lasts through a day with ease. AI Adaptive battery optimisation increases battery life within a week of usage.

Balanced performance

Google has updated the Tensor SoC with a new processor named G2. Compared to the earlier 5nm chip, this new chip brings an updated privacy core T2 with slightly overclocked cores and a better GPU. We found that the Mali GPU upgrade from G-78 to G-710 brings stable performance even when gaming. Even when gaming, smooth animations and balanced performance make these genuinely feel like flagship contenders. The fingerprint sensor is quick to identify, and Google allows basic face unlock like most Android devices.

UI animations and memory management are on par with most flagship devices, with no performance hiccups. Overall, the performance is better than the older SoC and brings a balanced performance update. Camera sensor performance and clicks process faster, and the overall experience of using a Pixel is slightly overclocked. An additional rear light sensor makes the sensor count 35 compared to 34 sensors on the Pixel 6a.

Best camera algorithm on any phone

Apart from iPhones, Samsung and other flagships, the only series of phones that prove to be excellent camera-centric options is the Pixel series from Google. More than the hardware, the years of machine learning and AI algorithms make a Pixel phone appealing. Google has finally moved from the 12MP sensors to improved hardware with a 50MP primary sensor on both phones, a slightly better 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and an additional 48MP telephoto sensor on the Pro. Google hardware and software algorithms work in tandem to click some mind-blowing images in any lighting conditions. All the images and videos are top-notch, with improved post-processing and better hardware. These are one of the best camera-centric smartphones of the year. Pixel post-processing retains details and contrast, sometimes better than phones that cost almost twice as much. For photos, these are top-tier, but for videos, although better with additional Cinematic blur (portrait mode in videos) and OIS with EIS options, Google needs to bring a few OTA updates to improve video quality.

Verdict

At the prices for the Pixel series, these phones are definite contenders for your money. If you are someone who wants a no-nonsense, iPhone-like experience using an Android, the Pixel series brings the best of Google hardware and software experience. Additional features are built-in smaller packages across the UI of these Pixel phones. Software features like unblur a blurred photo, magic eraser, location tagging other Android devices and dozens of small but intuitive animations and unique Pixel features hard to find on a feature-loaded flagship are interesting, to say the least. The Pixel 7 Pro brings the best of all worlds in a stylish package. It’s an entire Pixel experience enhanced for Android users.

Specs:

Pixel 7 – 6.1-inch 90Hz AMOLED FHD+ up to 1400nits

Pixel 7 Pro – 6.7-inch 120HZ LTPO AMOLED QHD up to 1500nits

Tensor G2 SoC

Android 13

Camera Pixel 7 – 50MP primary, 12MP Ultrawide, 10.8MP front camera

Camera Pixel 7 Pro – 50MP primary, enhanced AF 12MP Ultrawide/Macro, 48MP 5x Optical telephoto, 10.8MP front camera

Price – Pixel 7 – INR 59999

Pixel 7 Pro – INR 84999

Good – Best Pixel iteration, upgraded cameras

Bad – Limited memory options

Ugly – Tensor G2 falls short against SD 8+ Gen 1 and Apple Bionic SoC

Rating – 4.5/5

Vivo V25 5G: Stylish, Sassy, Stunning, an affordable mid-ranger with a stunning design to garner impeccable camera performance

The stunning Vivo V25 5G is the company’s new V-series smartphone priced under the 30k bracket. With a bold and vibrant colour-changing design, its performance orientation and advanced camera work just like its doppelganger Sibling, the Vivo “V25 Pro”. The Stylish V-series comes with a 90Hz AMOLED screen, a 5G-capable MediaTek chipset, and fast 44W charging. Moreover, it’s pretty comfortable to hold with its non-curvy edge.

First Impression:

Vivo V25, with its eye-catching Colour changing design, is attracting a lot of attention for the right reasons. With its broad edges, the handset is very easy to hold and ensures a firm grip. The display screen manages to reflect Colour from different angles making it very appealing to the eye. This Smartphone is fingerprint resistant. It has a matte finish with an enormous yet visually appealing rectangular-shaped camera module at the back. The Smartphone comes with a transparent phone case, which not only enhances the look of the phone but also protects against any chances of damage since the phone edges are very sharp. Another amazing feature of this Smartphone is its slender frame, which makes the phone as light as 180 grams. What’s inside the box? Well, the Vivo V25 bags a USB Type C Charging port and a hybrid dual SIM card slot. The switch on and off button is adjacent to the volume raiser, and a single speaker unit is at the bottom of the phone. Though, unlike the other units that we have tested with a fingerprint scan, this one has no glitches. It works just fine.

Design & Display:

As for the design & display of the phone is a concern, it did really give me a good sense of money worth. The Vivo V25 comes with a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with FHD resolution that reflects a refresh rate of 90Hz. The display offers decent viewing angles and has a scope to offer ample brightness to negate the direct sunlight, which usually objects to viewing the phone from side angles. The display comes with 1300 nits of dense brightness and 10+ HDR support, which is also Widevine L1 certified. The phone comes equipped with an amazing theme to choose from the theme store, and my personal favourite was the Ninja Girl, which really makes the display, when turned on, stand out.

Chipset & Performance & Battery:

We took the Vivo V25 through a regress performance & battery task while we were on a drive to the southern countryside of India. The Battery life of the phone was just impeccable, a 4500 mAH battery that can last up to 48 hours depending upon the usage of the phone. While we did put the phone through the regress at no charge throughout the day with the navigation on display, the battery life really impressed us. That being said, the phone is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 900 chipset with 8GB of RAM, Android 12 OS and Funtouch OS 12 interface.

Camera:

Vivo V25 5G bags a 50 MP HD Selfie camera that produces a 50MP phone in HD mode, and the pixel mat differs in the shooting mode. The Main Camera is equipped with Triple Led Flashlight and a 64MP primary sensor with/1.8 wide & 0.7UM OIS. Also, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor accompanies this with 120-degree FOV and a 2MP macro sensor. The phone has a night mode feature which enables capturing good images in low light. The primary sensor does a great job of capturing details and colors, even in low light. It manages to capture good facial detailing and accurate skin tone. But after a couple of shots, we did manage to get some. This is why Vivo pushes its buyer towards flagship loyalty.

Verdict:

Overall the phone offers tons of tech specs and is priced in India at Rs 27,999 for the 8GB RAM variant, while the 12GB RAM option is priced at Rs 31,999. While the competitors in the mid-space segment smartphones, such as Nothing Phone 1, iQOO Neo 6, and OPPO Reno 8 5G, offer a little more than what Vivo V25 is offering. I feel that the Smartphone has missed a couple of check-lists. The handset could have featured better speakers, a 120Hz refresh rate screen, and a faster chipset. From its eye-catching color-changing design to reliable performance, vibrant screen, decent cameras and battery life, the Vivo V25 5G ticks most boxes.

Rating: 3/5-5 *

KEY SPECS:

Colour Changing GLASS that changes with sunlight and another source of UV ( Fluorite AG GLASS Design)

Camera: 64MP OIS NIGHT Camera | 8MP Super Wide Angle Camera | 2MP Super Macro Camera | 50MP Eye AF Selfie Video

8GB Expandable RAM

AMOLED 90Hz

44W Flash Charger | 4500mAH Battery Cell

Up To 1300 nits Brightness

Game Boost Mode | Liquid Cooling System | 4DGame Vibration

Top 10 new games announced at Gamescom 2022

Gamescom 2022 had a lot of announcements. We are not including the Lies of P, Callisto Protocol, or Outlast trials, as these were announced way before the show. Nonetheless, the number of games teased is plenty to desire a current-gen console or upgrade one’s PC for that crisp detailed game plays.

Dune Awakening

The trailer that we got for dune awakening doesn’t give us anything in terms of gameplay, we do know it’s an open-world survival MMO, and apparently, that’s going to put thousands of players on every instance of the planet. the trailer showcases a hero taking on a giant sandworm. it was a pretty impressive piece of, well, probably CGI, to be completely frank. Still, Dune Awakening could be an intriguing title if it indicates what it may look like. We don’t have an official release date for this game; we do know it’s coming to pretty much all major platforms, so we will keep our eyes open.

Everywhere

The ex-GTA producer Leslie Benzies’s new company announced a game called Everywhere. Everywhere is a pretty vague concept, isn’t it? So, of course, they would issue a press release clarifying what the game is! Everywhere seamlessly blends gameplay, adventure, creativity and discovery in an all-new multi-world gaming experience that redefines how players connect in the digital world around them, which is crystal clear now. In the course of the trailer, you see a large number of different things that seem like third-person shooting, a lot of sci-fi, and maybe even a little racing. There’s a lot when they say Everywhere. Let’s not get hyped over something vague. There’s a lot of top-notch talent on top of Leslie Benzies, a former GTA producer, and it seems like they’re not shying away from colour and possibly genre.

Moonbreaker

A new miniature building turn-based digital tabletop strategy game. this one comes to us from Unknown Worlds, the developers behind Subnautica. It’s a tabletop game like Warhammer 40k, and you get to make miniatures and paint them. And the painting is a big part of Moonbreaker like there’s some element that is just weird in a good way. Somebody interested in that would be more attracted to building miniatures, so there’s a kind of tactile inertia or life that they give the figurines in a battle. Which is appealing, but again it’s quite weird. It’s got a different charm and is landing in early access on September 29th.

7. Atlas Fallen

The gameplay actually kind of reminded me of final fantasy xv. I don’t know if the entire game will take place in a desert, but I do like the desert setting combined with the characters. The character design is just fantastic it reminds me of old-school final fantasy; that’s probably why, obviously with a completely different, more modern style sensibility. What we saw within this little CGI movie is something that could play out within the game. It could end up being a really interesting take on a sort of fast-paced magical action game where you’re holding up bridges and fighting big monsters.

6. Lords of the Fallen

A kind of soft reboot sequel to the 2014 Lords of the Fallen. The original was a pretty successful game, and you’d think it’d be a sequel. It’s kind of been up in the air, so it’s also probably not the project that was announced as Lords of the Fallen two back in 2014. The Lords of the Fallen takes place a thousand years after the original, so it’s an effective reboot for the most part. It’s definitely got the look of a souls/borne type game. The story will involve exploring interconnected realms. Umbrella and axiom, apparently the realms of the living and the dead, the original was also a souls-born souls-like type. It looks like we’ll have to wait to find out when the game hits all major platforms sometime in 2023.

Killer Clowns from outer space

The producer of Friday the 13th, the game it’s a multiplayer horror game. First, Killer Clowns, outer space is a silly franchise. It’s a horror franchise but a silly one, and it should, in all actuality, make for a silly horror experience. Let’s be clear: the weapons in Killer Clowns from outer space could be a lot more fun than the weapons on Friday the 13th. it’s going to land on all major platforms in early 2023.

4. Destiny 2 – Lightfall

To be frank, now we know what the next expansion for destiny will be; it’s a cyberpunk one. The final battle in the light versus dark saga has Kallus coming back, fighting side by side with the witness attempting to destroy the traveller, and apparently, it’s on Neptune in a cyberpunk city. There is also the addition of a grappling hook in the strand subclass. It seems like an attempt to breathe a little bit of life into Destiny 2 after it’s been going on for a long time.

Where winds meet

This looks like a game looking to compete with the ghosts of Tsushima. It is a very different-looking game like it evokes the idea of the ghost of Tsushima, but the aesthetic is also very Chinese. You can actually choose occupations in this game. Like becoming a doctor, or an architect, you can even become a very good orator, a public speaker who can convince NPCs to follow them. These are intriguing additions to an open-world stealth combat game. it sounds like there’s a lot of freedom, and that’s what the developers kept emphasizing when various other people interviewed them. If this turns out to be something where you can do a whole bunch of stuff, and the combat turns out to be as good as it looks in the trailer, take my money!

Phantom Hellcat

An absolutely fantastic-looking hack-and-slash. There’s a ton of visual style here in phantom hellcat. It’s a 2d platformer that transitions into this 3d really close quarters, almost like platinum games looking hack and slash stuff, and that sounds fantastic to me. That is a combination of two types of games, and again it’s something that looks absolutely great.

Dead Island 2 and High on Life

This game was announced almost eight years ago. It would be easy to assume that a game announced eight years ago wasn’t happening, even though there have been few clues that it’s still being developed throughout the years. It looks like a hack-and-slashy type of first-person shooter with zombies. We know what Dead Island is at this point, and if they managed to wow us with Dead Island 2, nothing like it.

Sharing the number one spot is High on Life, a Rick and Morty-voiced and world-based Sci-Fi first-person shooter. The world is filled with interactive sarcasm, and the most intriguing part of the gameplay is talking weapons with a personality of their own. For instance, the starting pistol is based on Morty, while the crazy knife, which does multiple other things like grappling, etc., has a personality like a death-crazed Rick. Great to see this level of interactive madness getting one High on Life.

Hyundai Tucson – A premium SUV with an impressive set of features│Hyundai Tucson – First Drive

The SUV craze has spread like wildfire across territories. They offer practicality, space, comfort, a sense of achievement and in some cases more features than your yearly grocery list. The number of SUVs sold in 2020 was close to 25000, amounting to 22% of the Indian automotive industry. In 2022 this number will come up to 49,000, nearly double the amount in 2020. Currently, the SUV market share is over 41%, and estimated growth is up to 65,000 units by 2025. Catering to the skyrocketing demand for SUVs and premium SUVs in the Indian automotive market, Hyundai has launched their flagship premium SUV in India, known as the Hyundai Tucson. This one is a global bestseller product for Hyundai, and we explore this premium SUV in Nandi Hills, Bangalore. Our drive was made exciting as we drove through windy scenic roads in both the trims offered by Hyundai.

Lightweight yet strong chassis

Hyundai claims a strong body structure with the hot-stamping application. The body is made of 26.4% mild steel, 17.7% high-strength steel, 15.6% hot stamping, 40.3% advanced high-strength steel and extended application of as high as 74% overall. This rigid, lightweight chassis is aided by HTRAC – All Wheel Drive System with Multi-Terrain modes. Modes include SNOW, MUD, and SAND. While this global bestseller is offered in multiple drivetrains globally, including a hybrid, India gets two options. The first one mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission is a 2.0L petrol engine that produces 156 ps and 192 Nm torque. And finally, a much more robust 8 Speed Automatic Transmission operated 2.0L Diesel engine produces 186 PS and an enthusiastic 415 Nm torque. India gets the LWB – long wheelbase version as standard.

Handsome or pretty – Choice is yours

Hyundai Tucson has been in the international market for some time, but there is nothing in its price range in India that looks alike. The front smiling large grille with dark chrome design neatly integrates with nickel chrome metallic semi-deposition inside the 5-point Parametric hidden LED and DRL lens. With the DRLs off, the entire unit looks like a single piece of design mimicking a significant smile. At 4,630mm, the new Tucson has grown significantly more than its predecessor. The wheelbase is more extensive at 2,755mm and is a considerable upgrade from its 2016 avatar. Camouflaging this large SUV is a series of design choices by the Hyundai design team and engineers to make Tucson look premium yet sporty. Complementing the design is the choice of multi-toned elements like a matte silver window sill that ends in an aerodynamic style at the rear. The design makes this large SUV feel more friendly and compact with visual illusions created by sharp lines.

The most appealing section of this beauty is the connecting rear-LED with unique diamond-cut elements making this SUV prettier in real life. It extends on both sides of the car and makes this rear element a timeless piece of design which will age well. There’s a subtle Tucson batch with a hidden rear wiper under the spoiler. Matte grey skid plates and boxed-out wheel arches add character to the Tucson. Many design elements with creases, lines and cuts make this car feel true to a concept design. The sharp-cut design elements also translate into the large 235 section 18-inch dual-tone diamond-cut alloys, with a full-size spare alloy wheel in the trunk. The powered tailgate liberates 540L of cargo space with three levels of gate adjustments. It can be extended to 1860 litres with dedicated levers in the trunk to enable 60:40 split-folding second-row seats. The boot gets a guidance light and extra 12V sockets for added functionality.

Technophile inside, sharp outside

Hyundai always offers its customers top features, and the flagship hits the ball right out of the park. Onboard computers in Tucson provide innovative features like Home to Car (H2C), where simple vocal commands to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant can operate your car. Voice commands could include, “Alexa, turn on my car’s AC”, “Alexa, turn on my car’s AC, “Alexa, find my car”, “Alexa, check my car’s fuel level”, and “Alexa, lock my car doors.” Advanced connectivity also allows Smartwatch connectivity with TIZEN, iOS and Android.

Bluelink app offers 60+ connected features, and the car infotainment setup can improve with time thanks to OTA – Over-The-Air updates for the system and map. Tucson also gets Hyundai’s most advanced Voice Control for Seat Ventilation, Sports (Cricket, Soccer), Sunroof, and climate control, while the Voice Assistant has 104 embedded voice commands.

The large 10.25″ HD infotainment system is India-specific yet global UI supports -10 regional + 2 international languages, including English, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu, Oriya, Gujarati and Korean. Apart from these, the 8-speaker premium Bose sound system can accompany your drive with six built-in ambient nature symphonies, including an open-air café, rainy day, snowy village, warm fireplace and calm sea waves. There’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but Hyundai has missed the mark by not making these wireless. With OTA updates, these wired features may go wireless in the future.

The minimalistic cabin feels classy with soft-touch plastic, textured soft-touch fabric and multi-toned colours. The seats on our cars were light beige, making the cabin feel roomier. A smart one-touch panoramic sunroof accentuates the roof-line of the cabin. Apart from the usual wireless phone charger, the large 10.25-inch touchscreen and touch-sensitive controls keep the central dashboard neat. The overall cabin feels like a cockpit with the large 12.3-inch floating MID displaying ample information, including TPMS. The gear Knob is chunky and yacht-inspired, while the steering feel is perfectly round, chunky enough to get a sense of this large vehicle and also comes with ample buttons to control the MID and infotainment setup. The soft lid of the central arm-rest reveals open enough space to house your smaller pets.

Both the front seats get electric adjustments, with the driver seat getting 10-way adjustments while the co-passenger seat is getting 8-way adjustments and two memory seat functions. There is also a chauffeur mode on the front passenger seat walk-in device that enables left rear seat passengers to recline and adjust the front seat to their liking from the rear with the help of electric buttons on the front left seat. Overall the design is ergonomically designed to aid the driver. Even the front ventilated and heated seat controls are integrated into the central arm-rest. Advanced climate control technologies ensure a remarkably comfortable cabin atmosphere with dual-zone climate control with Multi-Air Mode and a hidden type AC vent with diffuse mode. This feature is inspired by aircraft. A diffuse button sits in the centre console along with drive select modes – Eco, Normal and Sport. All the buttons feel tactile and perceive a sense of quality associated with a premium feel.

The rear seat experience of the Tucson is excellent with rear AC vents, Type-A illuminated USB ports, deep recline angles on the seats and a large arm-rest with cup-holders. Thanks to bright leather seats, the premium feel of the multi-toned cabin with minimalistic yet functional design approaches, and one of the most prominent panoramic sunroofs, the Tucson interiors are a great abode on wheels.

Hyundai SmartSense

Hyundai has included level 2 ADAS driver assistance on their flagship. They call it Hyundai SmartSense. It’s a combination of a front camera, front radar and rear radar. Overall, there are 19 ADAS level 2 features enabled by Hyundai SmartSense. Some of these features include – Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Car/Pedestrian/Cyclist + Junction Turning, Front collision warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), Safe Exit Warning (SEW), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Smart Cruise Control with Stop & GO (SCC with S&G), Lane Following Assist (LFA), High Beam Assist (HBA), Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA), Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) and Surround View Monitor (SVM). The 360-degree cameras are sharp at resolution and enable dynamic parking assist lines for added convenience.

Drive impressions

Petrol trim: Hyundai Tucson gets a 2L petrol engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission churning 156PS and 192Nm. The power delivery on the petrol trim is linear, and power builds gradually as the revs build. The lightweight steering feedback makes manoeuvring this car in the city a child’s play while the steering satisfactorily weighs up as speeds rise. Eco mode dulls down all the responses and almost feels like the valet mode in the car. Normal is the best of both worlds, while Sport mode makes responses a bit tighter, including the heft on the steering wheel. Impressive bits include good insulation on the engine bay, keeping engine NVH levels to their minimum and overall cabin NVH levels as silent as physically possible. Suspensions perform at par for Indian road conditions, and the car manages to gulp most road undulations. Ride quality is supple and further enhancing the confidence are non-intrusive ADAS features.

First seen in the Alcazar, the turn indicators work in tandem with the 360-degree cameras to give a real-time side view on the MID console. The ambient lights are soft and offer tons of customizability. Vanity mirrors with individual light buttons and extended sunshades bring versatility to an overloaded technophile Hyundai Tucson. The Bluelink app makes remote car operations, real-time usage information, GPS features, remote unlock, and engine controls. The only thing missing here is the summon feature we see on Teslas. The gear shifts are seamless and refined, but the car’s responses take a while to get going with sudden throttle responses. Drivers sit with a commanding view of the road, and the large front windshield with large door windows enables a massive point of view. On the go, the 18-inch wheels perform great and four disc brakes with a big safety net brake on a dime. Tucson manages to lose its sense of weight when on the go, thanks to clever engineering, which enables a straightforward approach and ease of driving a premium SUV.

Diesel trim: Most of our overall feel of the chassis, body weight and minimum body roll with excellent body control remain the same on the diesel trim. But, we guess this to be the bestseller among the two trims thanks to a healthy 400+ NM torque accessible from the lower rev range and throughout all rev bands enabling 186PS of power. This added power is managed by an intuitive 8-speed AT transmission, which is smoother and more responsive than the petrol version. The diesel feels enthusiastic when driven, accentuating with Sport mode. Even in Normal mode, the diesel is peppy to drive in comparison. The NVH levels on the diesel are as impressive as the petrol trim. Almost no vibrations are felt inside the cabin, even when revving and driving this car at triple-digit speeds.

Hyundai Premium Assurance

Hyundai offers an unlimited kilometre 3 Years warranty with 30 000 km complimentary maintenance. They also assure 3 years of roadside assistance with 3 years Bluelink / Map subscription and 1 Shubhaarambh (Home Visit).

Verdict

In our brief drive, this car managed to hide its volume with excellent engineering. It’s easier to drive than its competition. Hyundai Tucson is Hyundai’s flagship model in India, making a bold statement for itself with the plethora of features offered. Both the trims offer great value to the end consumer and assure a car that shall stand the competition of the time. If you are in the market looking for an upgrade to your existing car or want a chunk of the insanely growing SUV market, the Hyundai Tucson is one attractive option with enough tech to keep your next generation happy. The ADAS is non-intrusive and the overall package exudes a sense of sporty premium appeal.

2.0L Petrol – 156PS | 192Nm | 6-speed AT

2.0L Diesel – 186PS | 415Nm | 8-speed AT

ADAS level 2 – 19 safety features

360-degree cameras

60+ Bluelink features

3 years unlimited warranty

Price: INR 27.70L Ex-showroom

Tecno Pova 3 – A new Workhorse

Tecno has expanded its product portfolio in the Indian market to cater to a larger audience with smartphones at different price ranges. The Pova series still happens to be sitting at the sweet spot of the budget segment smartphone, a hot category among young buyers. So, does this latest iteration live up to its hype, and should you consider it?

How does it look and feel?

Tecno Pova 3 is a little hefty considering the battery it packs within. The phone feels sturdy with substantial character around it. It is also fairly big, with a 6.9-inch display. We had the tech silver model which definitely looks premium and feels above its category. The phone is IPX2 splash resistant, which protects it from drizzle and light splashes of water. It’s a handy feature to have on a phone that costs this much. Keeping up with its gaming-centric approach, there are subtle yet practical touches that have been given to the smartphone. For instance, the sides of the Pova 3 have inverted edges for placing your index fingers while you are gaming.

A design feature missing in the Tech Silver variant is an LED strip that chimes in three different colours for notifications and battery capacity. Other design elements are generic, we get a volume rocker on the left, which is tactile, and right next to them is a SIM tray. It is a hybrid slot that supports 2 Nano SIM cards and a micro SD card. To the right, you will find the power lock and unlock button with an integrated fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor is quick in its response. The bottom comprises the USB type-C charging port, speaker grill and an old-school headphone jack.

How’s the screen?

Tecno Pova 3 features a 6.9-inch FHD+ display with a 1080 x 2460 pixel resolution which is pretty nice considering the category of the phone. Most colours on the Pova 3 look natural, and the screen is able to project decent clarity.

The display has a peak brightness of 500 nits, which is sufficient for indoor usage but moves outside on a good sunny day and one might find it difficult to glance at the screen.

But all’s not bad, especially if you are a gamer. Tecno Pova 3’s screen has a max refresh rate of 90Hz. These figures might not be as phenomenal as the 120Hz that we see on other phones, but combined with the 180Hz touch sampling rate, the performance is pretty satisfactory.

A good highlight of the Tecno Pova 3 is the haptic feedback on the device which you receive while playing games. It is apt and adds a lot of character to your gaming experience. It won’t numb your hands, but the subtle vibration adds a more of personalized touch.

How does it sound?

While the display makes up for gamers, a casual user will be engrossed in consuming content. Packing in dual speakers, the Tecno Pova 3’s hidden USP is its audio prowess. The audio output is loud, sharp and clear. Be it the effects while playing games or binge-watching on social media apps or simply streaming a YouTube video, it sounds well.

What’s inside?

Tecno Pova 3 runs on Android 12 out of the box which is paired together with HiOS 8.6. It is powered by a Mediatek Helio G88 processor, an almost a year-old SoC, the G88 is a 4G chipset. The variant we tested, packs in 6GB of RAM which can be bumped up to 11GB using RAM fusion if you are gaming intensively. That being said, the default 6GB of memory is sufficient for most of the tasks and holds up applications pretty well. The internal storage on the device is 128GB out of which 20GB is used by the OS. This is ample for most of the users. But you can expand it to 1TB with a micro SD card if you need more storage.

The massive 7000 mAh battery is very well optimized and for light usage, should easily last well over 2 days.For gamers, playing graphic-intensive games continuously won’t affect much and the battery will last for at least a day. The 33W power adapter in the box charges the Pova 3 to 50% in about 45 minutes. But a full 0-100% charge needs at least 2.5 hours, which is considerable given the battery size.Tecno also provides a reverse charging feature on the Pova 3, which means it can charge up other devices with a 10W voltage. The best practical usage is charging your TWS or Bluetooth headphones if they run out of juice during a commute.

How’s the camera?

Tecno Pova 3 features a triple rear camera set-up with the primary one being a 50MP shooter with F1.6 aperture. The second one is a 2MP depth sensor and finally an AI lens for all the gimmicks it packs within. The colour grades can go off sometimes, especially if you have the AI beauty filter on. Dark colours like Red, or Navy blue look undersaturated and with the AI filter and seem to shift further away from the natural tones a bit. There is a super night mode on the camera, which aids when you are clicking pictures at night. There is no ultra-wide lens on the phone, so you cannot open up the frame and are just limited to zooming in.

The 10X zoom can be considered a feature, but it is better to be left off. The video performance is decent. The camera shoots a maximum resolution of 2K. The video stabilization is not impressive and the output can be shaky sometimes. So if you are a creator looking for a device to Vlog or just shoot in general then this camera can be considered but for a light usage. Audio recorded by the in-built mic though is pretty decent. The real charm is actually the 8MP front camera. Unlike the primary camera which can deceive you sometimes, the front camera is pretty consistent for that matter. The images look sharp and are worthy of your social media selfies. The front camera also features dual flashlights which are a talking point.

How much on my Pocket?

The Tecno Pova 3 is available in 2 variants. The base variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage is priced at ₹11,499 and the other variant packs in 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and retails at a price of ₹12,999.

Time Machine-James Webb Space Telescope

Time machines exist! They’re popularly known as telescopes. NASA’s new space telescope can see through time, and we just got our first images from billions of years ago. These are the very first images captured by the James Webb space telescope, the deepest we’ve seen into the universe with alien planets, far-off galaxies, and the birth and death of distant stars, but this is just the start. We are going to break down everything you need to know about the James Webb space telescope. From those first images to how it uses infrared light to see the past and what it could teach us about the universe? On the 12th of July NASA released the first five images from the James Webb space telescope showing us the most profound and most detailed look into our universe ever. The first big reveal was Webb’s first deep field, an image of thousands of galaxies 4.6 billion light years away. This is the furthest into our universe we’ve ever seen, and all that detail is in an area of sky as big as a grain of sand. Next up, we saw science data spectroscopy from an exoplanet captured when it passed in front of a distant star. This data shows us evidence of water on an alien planet a thousand light years away. Our third image was the stunning southern ring nebula. A dying star 2500 light years away captured by two instruments on the telescope NIRcam and MIRI (Mid-infrared instrument). It shows shells of gas and dust ejected from a dying star. Next was a group of five galaxies called Stephan’s Quintet. This is Webb’s largest image yet, with more than 150 million pixels showing us what NASA calls a cosmic dance of galaxies, stars being born and even outflows from a black hole. And finally, the most phenomenal image of them all, the cosmic cliffs of the Carina nebula. This stunning vista reveals new details about this vast stellar nursery for the first time.

We’re seeing brand-new stars that were previously completely hidden from our view. In this view, we see some great examples, of the hundreds of new stars that we’ve never seen before. We see examples of bubbles and cavities and jets that are being blown out by these newborn stars. We even see some galaxies sort of lurking in the background. Up here, we see examples of structures that, honestly, we don’t even know what they are! What’s going on here? The data is just so rich! These spectacular images really represent the dawn of a new scientific era, one powered by the world’s most powerful telescope.

What is the James Webb space telescope?

Well, it’s essentially a giant observatory orbiting the sun a million miles away from earth that examines space through infrared light after decades of development by NASA’s Goddard space flight centre, the Canadian space agency and the European space agency. It was launched from French Guiana on Christmas day in 2021. It’s on a decades-long mission to look at our whole universe. This telescope was initially designed to look back in time and see the very first galaxies that were born after the big bang. We’re talking about looking back in time over thirteen and half billion years into the past. It will study how galaxies change throughout cosmic history. We’ll learn more about how stars and planets are born. We’ll learn about exoplanets, planets orbiting other stars, and then we’ll also learn about objects within our own solar system. This fantastic new telescope is really going to be able to study our universe from our sort of own cosmic backyard of the solar system all the way out to the most distant objects in the universe and everything in between space and time.

The telescope orbits the earth around the sun in a fixed position on the dark side of our planet; staying away from the sun which is very important for its mission. Its sensitive instruments are on the hunt for infrared light, which is essentially heat energy; that’s the reason behind that massive diamond-shaped sun shield the size of a tennis court. The telescope collects infrared light from space using its giant honeycomb-shaped mirror, which is covered in actual gold! Why infrared light? Well, infrared is the key to seeing distant parts of our universe, and that’s because of the way those light waves travel through space. The fact that the universe is expanding all the time and accelerating, thereby as light travels through space, that expansion of the universe literally stretches the light waves. Light waves that are longer in length stretched out show different waves and so are the most distant galaxies, the ones we’ve never seen at all. They’re so far away, their light has been stretched so much that it no longer appears in the optical at all. It’s all in the infrared. Hence, to see into deep space we need to observe those infrared light waves. The light waves that James Webb can see have travelled a long way from 13.6 billion light years away, to be exact in deep, deep space.

This is where it starts to get very cool because the universe is so large by the time this light reaches us from that distance, it’s taken billions of years to get here. When we see the light from that far away, we actually see 13.6 billion years into the past. As astronomers often say, telescopes are time machines, and that’s actually true. We’re able to see into the past with telescopes, and the reason for that sounds very dramatic and sci-fi, but it’s actually based on the straightforward fact that light takes time to travel through space in the same sense light from the sun takes about eight minutes to get to the earth. So you’re seeing the sun as it was about eight minutes ago, and it’s because of this simple nature of the way light works that we’re able to look back in time and see how the universe was in the distant past. And by that, we can sort of put together a story of how the universe has changed over the last 14 billion years of cosmic history.

How far can we look back into our past?

How does this telescope time machine actually capture this ancient light? Well, the primary way is with the near-infrared camera or NIRcam built by Lockheed Martin Space in silicon valley. It’s like any other camera, except it’s way more complex and it sees invisible light. The whole optics to collect that light is quite a bit of departure from a little lens that we would have on a regular camera. It’s more based on lenses that let the light through and then modify the light in a particular way. Navcam has several different filters. So it doesn’t look at just infrared or just one wavelength; it is a range. We have a number of filters that allow you to look at the different regions of this spectrum to extract even more information than just a simple image. One of the big benefits of measuring infrared light is that NIRcam can see through clouds of dust and space things that would normally block visible light from reaching us. This helps scientists find whole galaxies that might otherwise be hidden.

We saw that with James Webb’s predecessor, the Hubble space telescope, and now we’ll be able to see even more. NIRcam can also do what’s known as Coronography. Essentially blocking light from bright stars to get a better view of the planets orbiting them, and it can measure the way the light from stars passes through the atmospheres of alien planets. All of this could potentially help us find habitable planets. Coronography is all about what’s the composition of these planets, and what’s in their atmosphere. Potentially can we find carbon or water traces and so on, which don’t prove that there’s light, but these are the building blocks for life. There are three other instruments alongside NIRcam on the telescope – MIRI captures longer wavelengths of infrared light. Then there’s NIRspec (Near-infrared spectrograph) which has tiny mechanical shutters that open and close to collect data on things like the temperature composition and mass of distant objects. Finally, there’s NIRISS (Near-infrared imager and slitless spectrograph) and the FGS (Fine guidance sensor). NIRISS observes planets around bright stars by diffusing the light of the stars over a lot of pixels while the fine guidance sensor keeps Webb perfectly steady in space.

Game changer?

The big question is, why is the James Webb space telescope such a game changer? Well, unlike Hubble JWST can see further and dig deeper into the origins of space. Its light-collecting mirror is six and a half meters wide compared to Hubble’s two and a half meters. All that light collecting power means it can look further back in time seeing fainter and more distant objects capturing more data, and taking us closer to the very origins of our universe. As for what’s next, well, the first batch of images took just five days to capture, and NASA says the telescope could have enough fuel to last for 20 years.

So, this is just the beginning. We can expect more discoveries, more unknown galaxies and more beautiful images, letting us peek deeper into the universe and learn more about the very dawn of time. This first look data that we’re getting shows us the power of this incredible instrument in terms of really our next big step in our search for life in the universe. We think the most exciting thing about this incredible new telescope is the idea that there are surprises in the universe. To say that this is a pivotal moment in the history of science is an absolute understatement. We are about to look into the past further than we’ve ever seen before and that thrill itself makes up for this $10 billion gold-clad space telescope.

Best Monsoon Fashion: Your guide to tackling the rains

The much-awaited monsoon provides respite from the blazing heat of the summer, but the
sudden rains can put your favourite clothes at the risk of getting dirty and play spoilsport for
your fashion game. Muddy streets, heavy downpours, and the cold breeze can stop you from
loving this season and dressing up, but this rainy season, you can bust the fashion myths by
following these guidelines and effortlessly enjoy the rains without worrying about your
clothes!

1) Say Hi to Light Fabrics– It is advisable to wear light fabrics that will dry overnight and
won’t catch an odour. Wearing jeans or tight-fitted trousers can feel uncomfortable and take
forever to dry. Include A-line dresses, maxi skirts, shorts, and culottes to avoid muddling in
the puddle!

2) Choose Bright colours – Monsoon is the perfect time for you to play around with bright
colours and avoid wearing transparent colours like beige and white. Bright colours are not seen-
through and will make you stand out in bright pops in grey and dull surroundings. Wearing
statement shades might be the jolt of happiness you need to endure the unforgiving rains!

3) Take note of Accessorizing and Layering– Bright scarves, crossbody bags, sunglasses, or a
dark overcoat will help you make a bold statement and keep you safe from rain splashes. Fun
waterproof accessories like neon raincoats, translucent trench coats, printed scarves, Vinyl
handbags, and totes- win-win, fellas!

4) The shorter, the better– Short clothes will help you not be bothered about splashing mud all
over your clothes and getting them untidy and sticky. Wearing rompers, playsuits, and
cropped pants will be comfortable and make you look ravishing. Good shorts and ankle-
length bottoms are necessary to avoid spit and spatter. Nobody wants muddy hems!

5) Opt for Quirky Umbrellas– Ditch the boring black umbrellas and indulge in vibrant and
colourful ones. Umbrellas can be a statement fashion accessory and will save you from getting
drenched and up your style quotient. Solid colours, polka dots, prints, florals, or frills-quirky
umbrellas will make you monsoon-ready!